In a significant alteration to Finland's foreign policy, Finnish Minister of Foreign Trade and Development, Ville Tavio, made a significant announcement during the three-day annual Ambassadors' Meeting held in Helsinki on August 21. The declaration, reported by Brussels Signal and sourced from a speech on the Finnish Foreign Ministry's official website, revealed a pivotal shift in the nation's diplomatic approach.

Countries seeking assistance from Finland must now align with its stances, particularly in relation to the Ukraine conflict.

“From now on, Finland will focus mainly on focus on cooperation with countries that do not support Russia’s war in Ukraine.”

Tavio highlighted his initiation of preparations alongside officials to prioritize these conditions in upcoming [development aid] programs. Finland intends to gradually decrease development aid by approximately 250 million euros until 2027 through a phased implementation of these changes.

 “Under this administration, Ukraine will be Finland’s main National programme. Finland’s support for Ukraine is unwavering. We want to show that Finland is on Ukraine’s side,” Tavio added.

The government is currently assessing the potential termination of certain aid programs among the 13 available. Taivo refrained from explicitly naming the countries that could be impacted by the cuts or potential removal from the list. Tavio underlined the continuation of development cooperation, highlighting a focus on themes such as women and girls, self-determination, reproductive health, education, and climate action. When discussing China, his remarks struck a balanced tone.

“China is a vital trade partner for Finland, and our cooperation is positive. Finland’s stance on China aligns its EU and NATO affiliations,” he explained. 

He emphasized the necessity of reducing strategic dependence on China at both the national level and within the EU, given its role as a partner, competitor, and systemic challenger.

The annual Ambassadors' meeting in Helsinki commenced on August 21 and marked the inaugural one under Finland's recently established conservative government.

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